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Vehicle Comparisons:
2015 Nissan Pathfinder Comparisons

Trying to find the perfect SUV means knowing which models have the features you want and which don’t. To help our customers in the Philadelphia, Lansdale, and Doylestown area do that, our team at Montgomeryville Nissan compared the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder and four of its top competitors to find out how each one measured up.

In terms of performance, the standard engine of the Nissan Pathfinder is a 260-horsepower V6. At 3.5 liters in size, this powerful engine comes paired with an updated continuously variable transmission (CVT), which helps the SUV achieve maximum efficiency.

Inside the Nissan Pathfinder, drivers will find seating for up to seven passengers with convenient second-row seats that slide for easy access to the back row. Overall, the Nissan Pathfinder provides a spacious cabin with 157.8 cubic feet of total passenger volume.

For cargo room, the Pathfinder has 79.8 cubic feet of space, with 47.8 cubic feet behind the second row and 16 cubic feet behind the third row.

Standard technology features in the Pathfinder include a six-speaker sound system, tri-zone automatic climate control, and an auxiliary input for plugging in portable music devices such as an iPod.

However, drivers can always upgrade their tech package to include premium features like a 13-speaker Bose sound system, Bluetooth®, and Nissan Around View Monitor, a unique 360-degree aerial view of the space around your Nissan Pathfinder.

Nissan Pathfinder vs. Ford Explorer

Although the 2015 Ford Explorer received a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating from the NHTSA, its marginal performance in the small overlap front crash test prevented the Explorer from receiving any special designation from the IIHS. Marginal is only one level above the scale’s lowest score.

Similar to the Nissan Pathfinder, the 2015 Ford Explorer comes outfitted with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, though it’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. No CVT is available for the Explorer.

The Explorer can also seat up to seven passengers, with 151.7 cubic feet of total passenger volume inside the cabin. That’s 6.1 cubic feet less than the Nissan Pathfinder.

If it’s cargo room you’re looking for, the Pathfinder and the Explorer have similar capabilities, except for when it comes to available space behind the second row. Where the Nissan Pathfinder has 47.8 cubic feet of space, the Ford Explorer has just 43.8—4 cubic feet less.

Standard technologies of the 2015 Ford Explorer include an auxiliary input and six-speaker stereo like we saw in the Nissan Pathfinder, but there’s no tri-zone automatic climate control. Instead, only a dual-zone system is available as an added upgrade.

Nissan Pathfinder vs. Toyota Highlander

The 2015 Toyota Highlander scored lower than the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder in both small overlap front crashworthiness and child seat anchors (LATCH) ease of use in tests by the IIHS. However, the Highlander managed to receive a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating from the NHTSA.

The Toyota Highlander comes standard with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine. Not only is this engine significantly smaller than the V6 of the Nissan Pathfinder, but at a mere 185 horsepower, it’s less powerful too. The standard transmission system is a six-speed automatic, with no available CVT.

For interior passenger volume, the Highlander offers just 145 cubic feet of space, which is exactly 12.8 cubic feet less than the 2015 Pathfinder. Cargo room behind the second row in the Highlander is 42.3 cubic feet and 13.8 cubic feet behind the third row. Compare that to 47.8 cubic feet and 16 cubic feet, respectively, in the Nissan Pathfinder.

In terms of technology, the 2015 Toyota Highlander and the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder offer a comparable list of standard features; however, optional tech upgrades differ significantly. For example, where the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder has an optional 13-speaker sound system, the Toyota Highlander offers an optional 12-speaker system. Plus only the Nissan Pathfinder offers an optional 360-degree camera view.

Nissan Pathfinder vs. Chevy Traverse

The 2015 Chevrolet Traverse received a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating from the NHTSA but failed to meet the criteria for an IIHS Top Safety Pick. As we mentioned before, the Nissan Pathfinder was named a 2015 Top Safety Pick and won a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating.

Performance in the Chevy Traverse comes in the form of a large V6 engine, similar to the one found in the Nissan Pathfinder. Paired with a standard six-speed automatic transmission, the Traverse has some trouble with downshifting when quick acceleration is needed in situations like merging onto the highway.

Inside, there’s ample seating in both SUVs, but the Nissan Pathfinder has more total passenger volume. In fact, at 157.8 cubic feet, the 2015 Pathfinder has 7 additional cubic feet than the Traverse, which provides just 150.8 cubic feet.

In terms of technology, the Nissan Pathfinder and the Chevy Traverse both have a lot to offer. Only the optional 13-speaker Bose sound system in the Pathfinder beats the available Bose system in the Traverse by two additional speakers. You also won’t find a comparable 360-degree camera view in the Traverse like you could with the Nissan Pathfinder.

Nissan Pathfinder vs. Honda Pilot

When it comes to safety, the 2015 Honda Pilot doesn’t compare to the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder. The Pilot earned only a 4-Star Overall Safety Rating from the NHTSA due to less-than-perfect scores in frontal crash tests and rollover tests. The Pilot also failed to earn any Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS after receiving the lowest possible score in the small overlap front crash test.

In the performance category, the 2015 Honda Pilot is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6, similar to the engine found in the Nissan Pathfinder. However, the Honda engine is limited to 250 horsepower—10 horsepower less than the Nissan Pathfinder. The Honda also comes standard with a five-speed automatic transmission, not a fuel-efficient CVT like in the 2015 Pathfinder.

Moving on to the interior, the Pilot offers 153.7 cubic feet of passenger volume. Compare to the 157.8 cubic feet in the Pathfinder, drivers will be faced with a loss of 4.1 cubic feet in the Pilot. You also won’t have as much cargo room behind the second row seats (47.7 cubic feet in the Pilot and 47.8 cubic feet in the Pathfinder).

The 2015 Honda Pilot is the first SUV in this comparison to match the standard tri-zone automatic climate control system that we found in the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder. However, the available 10-speaker sound system is easily outmatched by the 13-speaker Bose system of the Pathfinder.

What’s Next?

Now that you know more about the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder as well as a number of other SUVs on the market, you’re ready for the next step of the vehicle research process: the test drive.